A new boost of funding has been announced today by Paul Ramsay Foundation to support the Indigenous-led TW Learning and Evaluation project over the next three years.

A street event in Dale Street Hub has seen today the Port Adelaide’s Aboriginal community gathering to celebrate the history and achievements of Port Adelaide Aboriginal Leadership Group - Tiraapendi Wodli, a project that offers a safe place for families and community members to seek for support when navigating the services system.

This capacity building project, funded by DHS and supported by Australian Red Cross and Justice Reinvestment SA, has been in place in the Port Adelaide area since 2018 leading the way in Justice Reinvestment practice in South Australia.

Outgrowing their space at Tauondi College and opening the Dale Street Hub in 2020 Tiraapendi Wodli have expanded its scope and impact, becoming a central point for healing, restoration, and support in the Port Adelaide region; a welcoming place for Aboriginal families to build their confidence to seek support when they need it and access services once they start their journeys out from the justice system.

"Tiraapendi Wodli is somewhere we can go to feel safe, we know if we can come here for help, if someone can't help themselves, they find someone who can", a member of the Men's Group said.

Through a community-led and culturally informed approach, Tiraapendi Wodli works alongside Aboriginal families to reflect the voices and needs and build capacity for them to lead their own solutions in a practical way.

With some of the community members exiting custodial facilities, Tiraapendi Wodli also offer support to these individuals and their families to integrate back into society and overcome the challenges that increase the risk for them to be led back into the justice system.

Tiraapendi Wodli Evaluation and Learning project

The Paul Ramsay Foundation has announced a boost of funding to support the development of the Tiraapendi Wodli Understanding, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (UMEL) framework over the next three years.

Co-designed between community and Skye Trudgett (Kowa Collaboration), this project presents new lens for evaluation - empowering TW to measure their impact on community in a culturally appropriate way and contribute to build a stronger future in the community.

The Paul Ramsay Foundation grant will ensure employment opportunities for First Nations people in evaluation and data collecting positions, and a support officer on the ground to help men and women returning to community from prison.